1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the construction of guitars, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a construction of an acoustic guitar having a size and shape similar to that of traditional solid body electric guitars.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the traditional construction of acoustic guitars, there have been continuing efforts to add to the acoustic guitar an electrified pickup for sensing the motion or sound generated by the guitar string so that the same can be electronically amplified in a manner like that commonly done for solid body electric guitars.
There is generally a defining difference between guitars referred to as acoustic guitars and those referred to as solid body electric guitars. Acoustic guitars generally have a hollow body, and a significant factor in the sound produced is the acoustic property of the hollow body which acts as a sound chamber to generate acoustical energy. An example of a typical acoustic guitar would be a Gibson J-200 guitar.
One drawback of traditional acoustic guitars is the volume of sound produced from the guitar. Usually this volume is not significant enough to entertain large audiences, therefore a method by which to amplify this sound is required. This amplification has traditionally been accomplished through the use of an electronic pickup retrofitted onto traditional acoustic guitars. These electric pickups are retrofitted to electric guitars by adding electronic elements either over the sound hole in the acoustic guitars or attaching the elements to the bridge or sound board of the acoustic guitars. U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,186 issued to Ikuma shows a pickup device retrofitted onto an acoustic guitar by attaching an electromagnetic pickup over the sound hole of the acoustic guitar.
In fact, one problem with retrofitting acoustic guitars with electronic pickups is the additional elements weaken the guitar. Any additional elements added to the sound board of an acoustic guitar have the tendency to weaken the structure of the guitar. This occurs due to the additional stress on the sound board caused by the modifications to the sound board.
Another problem with retrofitting acoustic guitars with an electromagnetic pickup arises during the actual playing of the retrofitted acoustic guitar. Since the electromagnetic pickup is designed to receive, decipher, and amplify vibrations, a retrofitted acoustic guitar sends inconsistent signals to the electromagnetic pickup through the vibrations of not only the strings of the guitar, but also the resonance from the hollow body of the acoustic guitar. This causes an inconsistent amplification of the tones actually played from the instrument and the undesirable xe2x80x9cfeedback effect,xe2x80x9d which is unpleasant to any listener of an acoustic guitar retrofitted with an electromagnetic pickup.
The traditional hollow body acoustic guitar is a contrast to a solid body electric guitar, wherein the sound is primarily a function of the string vibration. This vibration is sensed by an electromagnetic pickup and then amplified to generate a sound of sufficient volume to be enjoyed by a large listening audience. An example of a traditional solid body electric guitar would be a Gibson Les Paul model guitar.
Traditional solid body electric guitars, while greatly reducing the above mentioned feedback effect, fail to achieve the same sound quality as hollow bodied acoustic guitars due to the lack of a hollow cavity to resonate the sound. While the traditional solid body electric guitar contains electromagnetic pickups easily adapted to interpret and amplify the vibrations from the strings of a solid body electric guitar, the traditional solid body electric guitar still requires that the bridge and the electromagnetic pickup are attached to the body of the solid body electric guitar after formation of the solid body. Once again this weakens the structure and integrity of the solid body electric guitar, while failing to produce the same quality of musical tones as the acoustic guitar.
Also, traditionally the electromagnetic pickup for an electric guitar comprises a plate shaped element attached to the top surface of the body of the traditional electric guitar. This plate shaped element lessens the visual appeal of the guitar.
There is a third category of guitars, known as semi-hollow body guitars, which utilize conventional electric guitar pickups on a body that is typically thinner than a conventional acoustic guitar, but which still contains a marginally hollow core. An example of a semi-hollow body instrument would be the Gibson ES-335 guitar.
One type of pickup that has previously been used with acoustic guitars is a piezoelectric pickup such as the model LB6 series pickup manufactured by the LR Baggs Co. These piezoelectric pickups are constructed to function as the bridge across which the guitar strings are supported. The guitar strings press down upon the pickup and as the strings vibrate the changing pressure on the pickup generates a changing electrical signal in a piezoelectric element that is a part of the pickup. Pickups of this type are typically mounted in a separate bridge support member that is glued onto or screwed onto the top surface of the guitar body. That separate bridge support has a slot milled therein for receipt of the piezoelectric transducer element.
Thus, there is a continuing need for improvements in the construction of pickups and the mounting thereof for use with hollow body guitars.
The present invention provides a stringed musical instrument comprising an instrument top that includes a sound board and an integral bridge extending from the sound board. The bridge is designed to space the strings of the musical instrument from the sound board. The instrument includes a slot within the bridge, which is designed to contain a piezoelectric pickup. The instrument also includes a hollow body.
The present invention also teaches a stringed guitar comprising a hollow, completely enclosed sound box that is lacking a sound hole. This stringed guitar also includes a sound board and an integral bridge as part of the sound box. Also received within the integral bridge is a piezoelectric pickup.
A method for constructing the body of a stringed musical instrument is also disclosed. The method comprises providing a solid block of material and shaping that solid block of material to form a sound board and an integral extension of the sound board. The extension is adapted to space the strings of the musical instrument from the sound board.
This construction results in a guitar of unique appearance and improved function. The integral construction of the slot for receipt of the piezoelectric pickup eliminates the need for gluing or fastening a separate bridge support member onto the body of the guitar.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved construction for acoustic guitars.
Also, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a stringed musical instrument with a sound board and integral bridge extending from the sound board.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide an electric guitar is a substantially hollow body.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a hollow body guitar that is lacking a sound hole by which acoustic energy can emanate.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method for constructing the body of a stringed musical instrument wherein the method includes shaping a solid block of material into a sound board and an integral extension of the sound board, the extension designed to space the strings of the musical instrument from the sound board.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction for the mounting of a piezoelectric pickup in a guitar.
Still another object of the present invention is the provisional of novel appearance for a guitar.
Other and further objects features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following disclosure when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.